Anyone craving a Tim-Tam?

For all of you that don’t know, the Tim-Tam is one of Australia’s favourite Arnott’s biscuits. What is there not to love about it? Two chocolate biscuits sandwiched together by a chocolate butter cream and dipped in chocolate… absolute heaven! 

I have never met a fellow Aussie that did not love a Tim-Tam. Unfortunately for all my coeliac readers, you will also know that there is nothing quite like it in the gluten free world. So I got thinking… what if I made a chocolate dessert based on the great Aussie favourite. And here you have it… the Tim-Tam inspired biscuit log! 

Warning: This recipe is deadly sweet and definitely not on the diet list! 

{Gluten Free Recipe} TIM-TAM INSPIRED BISCUIT LOG

1 packet plain, dry gluten free biscuits (we used Schar Petit biscuits) 

BUTTER CREAM 

120g unsalted butter, softened and cubed 

3 cups icing sugar, sifted 

150g chocolate 

1 tbsp milk 

CHOCOLATE GANACHE 

150ml thickened cream 

200g milk chocolate 

1. Place butter and sifted icing sugar into a bowl. Beat until light and fluffy. Set aside. 

2. Half fill a medium saucepan with water. Bring the water to a simmer. Place 150g of the chocolate into a heatproof bowl and place over the simmering water (making sure the bowl does not touch the water). Stir chocolate, over low heat, until melted and smooth. 

3. Add melted chocolate and milk to the butter mixture, and beat until smooth. 

4. Spread a spoonful of butter cream onto one side of a gluten free biscuit. Place another biscuit alongside and sandwich together. Place biscuits upright on a serving platter. Continue layering remaining biscuits and butter cream to form a log. 

5. Spread remaining butter cream over top and sides of log to fill all gaps. Smooth surface. Place in fridge to cool while making ganache. 

6. To prepare the chocolate ganache, break the remaining 200g of chocolate into small pieces and place in a large bowl. Heat cream in a small saucepan, over low heat. Bring to boil and remove from the heat immediately. Allow to cool for a couple minutes. 

7. Pour hot cream over chocolate pieces and set aside for 10 minutes. Using a whisk, mix cream and chocolate together until smooth. Cool the ganache in fridge for 10 minutes, until it reaches room temperature and thickens. 

8. Pour over the biscuit log and smooth using a spatula. Chill in the fridge for approximately 30 minutes, until the ganache sets. Serve biscuit log at room temperature.

TIP: Why not make your own GF Tim-Tams! Simply sandwich 2 biscuits together with the butter cream and cover with ganache or simply melted chocolate.

Australia Day Sausage Rolls

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oi, Oi, Oi! This is the chant you will hear all over Australia on the 26th January, the official national day of Australia. Commemorating the 1788 landing of the first fleet at Sydney Cove. 

Australia Day is a day to celebrate with friends and family. Wether it’s celebrated with a game of cricket in the backyard, a picnic at the beach, or a good old Aussie BBQ! On a hot, summers day there is nothing better than sitting back and relaxing, with a beer in hand (the gluten free kind!) and some fair dinkum Aussie tucker, listening to the tunes of triple J's Hottest 100 Countdown. 

So in True Blue Aussie style here is our version of gluten free Aussie Sausage Rolls. Happy Australia Day everyone and let’s hope there are not too many sore heads on Friday morning! 

{Gluten Free Recipe} AUSSIE SAUSAGE ROLLS 

PASTRY* 

375g Orgran Pizza & Pastry multimix 

Pinch of salt 

120g cold butter, cubed 

1 egg 

40ml cold water 

FILLING 

500g beef mince 

100g gluten free breadcrumbs 

40g grated Parmesan cheese 

1 tablespoon chopped parsley 

1 egg 

2/4 cup water 

1 clove garlic, crushed 

EXTRA 

GF flour for rolling 

1 egg white, whisked 

Tomato sauce, to serve 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. 

2. Combine mince, breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, garlic and egg in a bowl. Gradually add the water, a handful at a time, until it forms a wet mixture. Set aside. 

3. For the pastry, empty contents of Orgran Pizza & Pastry mulitimix into a large bowl and add a pinch of salt. Mix. Rub butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips, until it resembles a fine crumb. 

4. Whisk egg and water in a separate bowl and add to dry ingredients. 

5. Mix together with a fork until the pastry comes together and then form into a ball with your hands. 

6. Knead gently on a floured surface for a few minutes before rolling out. 

7. Divide dough in half. To prevent sticking place dough on floured baking paper and roll out 1cm thick with a rolling pin (flour rolling pin to prevent sticking). Continue rolling until it forms approximately a 25cm square. Trim edges with a knife to form a clean square. Note: Pastry is very crumbly so be careful while rolling and work quickly or pastry will dry out and crumble further. 

8. Shape a handful of mince mixture into a sausage shape. Place along one side of pastry. Using the baking paper, carefully roll the pastry around the sausage until the edges meet, leaving enough space for pastry to overlap 1cm. Trim excess pastry and add to remaining dough. 

9. Brush edge of pastry with egg white and press firmly in place to seal. Cut log into 3 pieces (cut into smaller or bigger pieces depending on size you want your sausage rolls). Place on prepared trays and repeat with remaining pastry dough and mince mixture. 

10. Brush tops of sausage rolls with egg white. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Serve with tomato sauce. 

Makes approximately 12 sausage rolls (depending on size of pieces cut). 

*TIP: If you prefer, you can buy pre-made pastry sheets. Try the Pastry Pantry.

If you have left over mince mixture, roll into balls and fry. These will make tasty meatballs!